Dimples Dates
by brookeAp3
Summary: Who can resist such an invitation from the littlest Merry Man? Certainly not Regina.


**A/N: Prompt #114 "I just want to see you smile" for Prompt Party**

The invitation is waiting for her upon her return to her chamber. Carefully stuck to the door with the sharp point of an arrow to which Regina's eyes narrow. If that thief thinks he can put nicks all over her door, he has another thing coming to him. Regina's skirt swishes, echoing in the eerily silent hallway as she quickens her pace the last several steps and jerks the shaft from the door, catching the paper as it begins to flutter to the floor.

Preparing for a fight with the outlaw, Regina quickly scans over the messy scrawl on the page and as she does, the wrinkle between her brows unfurls, smoothing out as the corners of her lips twitch upward into a small smile. For it's not Robin Hood who has left her a note, but rather the littlest of the Merry Men, whom she can't help but be charmed by, despite the ache his presence brings to her heart for her own little prince.

_Der majesy, _

_Wil u met me for a picnik in the gardn by ur apple tree?_

_Ur little night_

It's so sweet, makes Regina's heart flutter in spite of herself and all the reasons she knows it to be unwise to become too close to this little boy. But she's never met any child as sweet as Roland, one to instantly capture her heart the way he has. No one but Henry that is. And she misses her son so much, more than she could ever put into words, that even through the pain, being near Roland soothes some of that heartache.

He clearly wrote it out himself, and while Robin must have had some hand in it (Regina knows he's been working with him on his reading and writing, helping him sound out words when he asks. She's seen them, huddled together in the dining hall or out on the grounds, heads bent over a piece of parchment as Roland meticulously writes out his letters.), it's clear that Roland tried his best. The mistakes remind her yet again of Henry at that age and the way he'd struggled over his spelling. Without taking the time to overthink her reaction any further, Regina turns on her heel and heads right back down the corridor from which she had come, seeking out her suitor to accept his invitation in person.

She finds him in the part of the castle the Merry Men have claimed as their own, stopping short in the doorway of his room as she spies Robin on the bed with Roland, all tucked beneath the covers, that grey stuffed monkey stuffed along his side, eyelids drooping every now and then. For a moment, she just observes them, listening to Robin spin a fantastical tale about a dragon and a warrior, and Regina's lips twitch at the way Roland's face lights up. He's nodding along with the thief's words, rapt with attention, asking questions here and there before his gaze flickers over to the door and he spies her.

"R'gina!" he exclaims, all hints of sleep evaporating from his voice. He makes to climb out of bed, shoving the blanket down and rising to his knees as Robin halts him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Grinning, Regina crosses the threshold, skirts rustling as she walks the few steps to the bed, note held lightly between her fingers. "Hello, Roland," she says softly, ignoring his father completely as her attention is centered on the toddler and she continues, "I found this waiting for me when I got back to my room. Any idea where it came from?"

"It was me!" Roland declares excitedly, bouncing a bit on the mattress. "I wrote it! All by myself! Well… Papa helped but it was me!" He can't seem to help himself as he reaches his arms out toward her, not the least concerned with sleep now that she's here, and Regina is weak when it comes to him, can't resist moving to sit beside him on the bed, allowing him to wrap his little arms around her neck and cuddle into her side. "Will you come? Granny said she'd make meat pies! And cakes! We can do it tomorrow!"

Regina chuckles, smoothing a lock of hair away from Roland's face, her eyes flickering briefly over to the thief as he watches them, an amused smile of his own on his face, before she focuses on Roland again. "And what brought on this invitation, my little knight?"

"I just want to see you smile, R'gina," he answers innocently, her heart melting instantly at his words. "And it makes me happy when we play, so I thought it would make you happy too. And you like apples! So your tree seemed like a good spot."

Oh boy, she's a goner.

There's absolutely no way she can protect her heart from falling completely in love with him. And it's a mistake. She'd have been better off with the damn organ buried in the ground (God damned Snow White ruining her plans yet again), rather than beating erratically in her chest as Roland stares at her with those big, brown doe eyes. But it's too late now, the damage is done. She's crazy about this child.

Her gaze wanders back to Robin's then and there's an understanding in his as their eyes lock that has nerves skittering just beneath her skin. For the life of her, she doesn't understand why this doesn't concern him, why he lets his son play with the Evil Queen, why he has done nothing to deter the bond forming between them.

Instead he simply smiles at the both of them, those dimples that make butterflies leap in her belly creasing his cheeks and the dark blue depths of his eyes twinkling. She'd be wise to put some distance between herself and the both of them. After all, she's treading dangerous waters here, but Regina's never been one to do what's best for herself.

So instead, she hugs Roland closer, tickling his side and grinning as he yelps and squirms in her arms, answering, "I would love to go on a picnic with you, Roland."


End file.
